Modi reaches out to all parties in Vadodara victory speech

After a landslide victory, Narendra Modi on Friday reached out to the opposition seeking the cooperation of all parties and leaders in running the nation, and dedicated himself to serve everyone equally.

In a gracious, 45-minute victory speech in Vadodara, Modi said the government does not belong to any particular party but to all the people of the country.

"For a government, no one is a favourite, nor is anyone an alien," he asserted to a cheering crowd of supporters whom he thanked for giving him a victory by 5.70 lakh votes.

Committing himself to running the country in the best spirit of the Constitution, Modi said, "My responsibility is to take everyone along in running the nation."

"In a democracy, there are no enemies but only competitors. That competition ends with elections," he said, adding his motto is "sabka saath, sabka vikas (with all, development for all)."

Congratulating winners in the Lok Sabha elections and the assembly elections in some states irrespective of parties, Modi said, "I extend my best wishes to the MPs and MLAs of all parties. I hope that I will get their support in taking the country forward."

Apparently referring to recriminations during the campaign, he said he would convert the "love" shown by his opponents into "pure love".

"In a democracy, there are no enemies but only competitors. This competition is the beauty of our democracy," he said, adding that the "bitterness" is over with the campaign.

"I want to assure the people of the country that for us it is our motto to carry along everyone however much they may oppose us. We will try to ensure that there will be nothing lacking on this front," he said.

Modi underlined the significance of his victory by saying that it was the first time after Independence that a non-Congress party has got absolute majority on its own.

The 63-year-old leader also emphasised that for the first time the reins of power have come to those born after Independence.

Speaking amid chants of "Modi, Modi, Modi", he said, "Whatever may be the scale of victory, it is our responsibility in government to take everyone along. I need your blessings to achieve this humbly."

Presenting himself as an "mazdoor number one", he said nobody, even his rivals, questions the hard work put in by him.

"For the next 60 months, you will not get a better mazdoor (labourer)," the prime minister-designate said.

In an interactive style, the four-time chief minister told the crowd that till now he belonged to them, but they have now made him "national".

"You have reposed trust in me, I repose trust in you... When I take one step, I trust all the 125 crore people will move with me," he said.

Referring to the thumping victory with a margin of over 5.70 lakh votes, Modi said he expressed his gratitude to the electorate of his constituency.

"After filing my nomination, I could spend only 50 minutes with you but you gave me victory by 5.70 lakh margin. I have checked up and found that only P V Narasimha Rao had won by such a big margin and that was in a bye-election. Mine has been recorded in a general election," he said.

He promised to return the love showered on him by the electorate of this constituency by taking its development to new heights.

Modi, who also won from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, made an oblique reference to the denial of permission for his election rally in the temple town. "People of Banaras have put their stamp of approval on my silence."